Thursday December 3, 1998
ICEA340P
Twinkle has something weighing on her mind. In fact, everyone seems to be in a bad mood at the moment, so Philippa attempts to cheer everyone up by breaking the routine. She makes lots of suggestions, most of which are turned down. Her final suggestion is a "Bring your mother to work" day, which the staff are not too impressed with.
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Everybody is in a mood. A bad one. So of course Philippa (as played by the wonderful Celia Imrie) fells it is her duty to cheer things up and has the brilliant notion that this can be done by inviting the canteen's employees surviving parents for tea. hide show
Bren is in an awkward mood because of Tony - or so the others assume. Jean and Dolly are at each other's throats and this time it seems it can go beyond verbal flippancy. Even Twinkle is harboring some dark deed.
Philippa feels she must intervene. What better than organizing a tea party for all their parents? Well, not her mother she's awful and that seems to let Bren out of having to be on the receiving end of Petula's madness again too.
But they all come. And what a fabulous group of actors. Dolly's mother Enyd is played in a no-nonsense anti-southerner way by Dame Thora Hird. Stan's father is played by Eric Sykes and his fatherly overbearingness is wonderful to watch.
Petula shows up, of course - and Julie Walters is in top form again. Even Philippa's mother travels "all the way" up north for the event.
Hilarious clash of personalities follows but by the end all the main characters are not feeling quite so moody anymore and even Twinkle's Huge problem was just ... something altogether different if still unpleasant.
Great comedy! Because it is also a real slice of life, subtly played by the leading actors (well apart from Julie Walters but she's always in character...). Drama has its place, and we feel we actually know people like these. Or are like them. Sobering. Yes, that's it, sobering hilarity! Ever witnessed it? No? Then watch this show.
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